


The Smiling Face

by PhoenixIsSleeping



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Hallucinations, Hurt/Comfort, One Shot, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-12 21:21:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29765799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhoenixIsSleeping/pseuds/PhoenixIsSleeping
Summary: Tommy had finally been let out of prison after staying for a whole week. The cost? Dream was let out as well. More accurately, he escaped and Tommy is faced with the fear that Dream is out there again. Probably trying to work towards that crazy fucking plan of his.Puffy takes him around town in hopes that he would ease up a bit. He decides to go and visit his best pal Tubbo and has a run in with Ranboo while there.Things do not go smoothly between the two of them.
Relationships: Cara | CaptainPuffy & TommyInnit, Ranboo & Toby Smith | Tubbo, Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit
Kudos: 96





	The Smiling Face

**Author's Note:**

> potential tw for trauma induced hallucinations more notes at the end about it.  
> ~  
> Twitter: @PhoenixisAsleep  
> Helped me with editing: @octokhai

Tommy felt the gentle hand of Puffy comforting him, but he didn’t feel any warmth from her gloved hands. It wasn’t that her hands were cold. It was just that _he_ was cold, numb, and tired, so tired. 

“Are you okay?” he heard her ask. He didn’t respond at first. He didn’t want her pity. 

“I’m fine.” He tried to bat her hand away from him, but she gently let go before he could. 

“Sam is… Sam is trying to find him. He’s trying to find Dream.” Puffy explained. 

Tommy remembered the books that he signed. “Didn’t he take an oath that anyone is allowed to hunt him if he lets any prisoners escape?” 

“Well… Yeah, but no one is trying to. I’m not anyways.” said Puffy. 

“Why the fuck didn’t he let me out earlier!? I thought that he said I would come out when I said I fucking wanted to!” 

“I… I don’t know. I don’t know what happened in the prison. None of us knew why you were stuck in there. Jack said you deserved to be in there, but I knew better. He’s been trying to take control of your hotel, but I stopped him. Do you want to come to see it?” 

Tommy could already see the hotel in the distance. With its giant structure and the complex red and black patterns that went around the hotel. It was supposed to be a new start to the server. Things were supposed to be better. 

Puffy walked along the Prime Path to the hotel. Tommy followed behind her. He looked around the structures that strung along the way. The red vines have nearly attached themselves to every structure. They were gross and parasitic, but it didn’t seem like they’ve done anything so far. It’s supposed to only be a week, but it felt like he came back from exile all over again. This time, however, he couldn’t feel the same sentiment of returning home.

“Here it is,” Puffy said. She pushed open the doors to enter the hotel. Tommy stayed outside and looked at the sign that Puffy had put out there. 

“I look so fucking ugly here…” he remarked. He looked back up to the hotel. His hotel. He was reminded of the first time the hotel was revealed to him, and how absolutely elated he was for the future. Those were only memories now. The hotel only looked dark and foreboding. 

He pushed past the doors to see Puffy inside. 

“What a mess…” He heard her remark. She picked up trash off the floor and tossed it into the wastebaskets around the hotel. She turned around. “Oh, Tommy. Sorry, about the mess I didn’t realize how dirty Jack left the hotel.” 

“What the hell!? Why is it so messy? Where is Jack now?” He asked. 

Puffy pondered for a moment. “I don’t know… I haven’t seen him since yesterday. Don’t worry if I do see him. I’ll confront him about this.” 

Tommy stared in awe at the floors. “Fuck that! I’ll talk to him myself. What’s he been doing maintaining this hotel anyways? This is such a bloody mess!” Tommy picked up a napkin with some sort of liquid leaking off of it. He quickly tossed it into the trash. 

“Ah, well… He wasn’t really just maintaining it… He tried to take it over completely.” she exclaimed. 

“What!?” Tommy yelled, “I knew he was fucking planning to stab me in the back! I hired him to keep an eye on him! But, I couldn’t… I couldn’t… if I was in…” He stopped. 

Puffy turned around and looked at him. “It’s fine. I get it. I tried to stop him. Don’t know where he is today, but I would give him a piece of my mind.” she smiled. 

Tommy didn’t smile back. His face felt too numb. 

He looked to the ground, “Yeah, I’ll fucking shank him when I see him.” 

“Oh… I don’t know if shanking him would be the best…” 

“I will shank him. That bitch has been getting on my nerves.” 

“Well okay. We need to confront him regardless.”

Tommy still pissed at Jack, walked over to the reception counter. He saw a stack of papers on top and a letter. Then he remembered. 

“The invites…? What happened to the invites?” Tommy turned to Puffy. 

“Oh that… Yeah, quite a few people showed up. I tried to stop them because you weren’t there, but… the grand reveal had already happened.” 

Tommy’s heart sank. Now when he invites people they all show up? Even though he wasn’t there? He felt sick at the fact that Jack was probably the one who hosted the party. It just wasn’t fair.

“Now they all come?” he muttered. “Did anyone even bother to rent a room?” he wondered out loud. 

“Uhm… I think Bad and Skeppy actually pick one. The money already went to Jack though.” 

“Well, they’re going to have to pay me too, since I’m the owner of the Big Innit Hotel! Ah fuck, I’ll have to get Jack to give back the money too!” 

“Yeah, I’ll go look around for him later. Do you want to go check up on their rooms?” Puffy asked. 

“Oh, what the fuck! That job was meant for Jack to do!” Tommy sighed, “I guess I’ll go.” 

Puffy nodded and Tommy climbed up the ladders to their room. Even though the hotel was a mess now, not much else had changed. It had only been a week after all… A whole week. 

He hopped down to Bad and Skeppy’s room. It was kept clean unlike the reception for the hotel. Tommy went around to check if everything was in order as Puffy folded the sheets back up. Something caught his eye in the window. A construction site was put up right next to his hotel. 

“What’s that over there?” He asked. 

Puffy came over to take a look, “Oh, that’s the hotel, Bee N’ Boo that Tubbo and Ranboo were working on. Did he not mention it to you?” she asked. 

“He’s what? No, I didn’t know. He should know about my hotel right?” Tommy asked. 

“I think the hotel business is booming these days. Guess those two wanted a piece of it.”

“Really now?” Tommy thought back to what he first felt like when making his hotel. 

“I’m guessing you two would have to compete with each other in the future.” 

“Yeah…” Tommy sighed. Tubbo was working on his own hotel instead of bothering to visit him? He looked back at the walls of his hotel but didn’t feel any thrills about competing with Tubbo. “I think I wanna see how he's been doing right now.” 

Puffy blinked in surprise. Tommy could see that she was trying to suppress a giggle, but didn’t say anything. 

“Let’s go,” she said. The two of them wrapped up cleaning around the hotel and locked the door on the way out. Hopefully, Jack wouldn’t come and mess with it. They walked again on the Prime Path to Snowchester. 

“I also heard that Tubbo and Ranboo got married.” she smiled. 

“What? They got married? I wasn’t invited to the wedding!” He was in shock. 

“I don’t think they had a wedding. They just said they were married one day. Platonically of course.” 

“Oh… He didn’t mention anything about that,” said Tommy. 

“I think it was more of a joke than anything, but I’m happy for them.” Puffy smiled. 

“Yeah, it probably was,” Tommy said. He nearly wished for their happiness as well, but then he stopped. Tubbo did so much without him while he was in there, and he didn’t even bother to visit? _“I thought after the exile… He would care a bit more. I guess he doesn’t.”_ He sighed again. 

Puffy looked over, “Are you okay?” she wondered. 

“I’m fine,” he said. 

She frowned, “I’m sorry.” 

“For what?” 

“We all were very worried about you. About the fact that you were in prison.” 

“Then why did no one come to visit?” Tommy asked. 

“That’s… That’s because the Warden wouldn’t let anyone through. Apparently, the situation got out of hand. He wouldn’t let anyone in or out.” 

“But he did!” Tommy grumbled. 

“Yeah, in the end, someone was let out. At least you were allowed out as well.” 

Tommy frowned. 

“I’m sorry again. I tried to come and visit. Tubbo did too, but…”

“Don’t pity me.” Tommy sighed. 

Puffy looked back and paused, “Right, I shouldn’t.” She forced a smile. The rest of the walk went on for a bit until they made it to Snowchester where Tubbo and Ranboo were. 

“Want my jacket?” Puffy asked.

Tommy shook his head. Tubbo appeared outside of his house. Tommy saw that he moved Henry back into the house. 

“Tommy! How have you been? You come to visit?” he asked. 

“Ugh no, I just happened to be on the way. Why would I visit you?” Tommy lied. Puffy forced back a smile. 

“Oh really? Well, I’m glad you came anyway. How are you doing pal?” Tubbo smiled. 

“I’m fine.” said Tommy, “How’s Henry?” He asked.

“He’s doing fine, but he still attacks people occasionally. Henry, do you wanna come out now?” 

Tommy heard a grunt come from the house. Tubbo sighed. “Guess he’s feeling shy. Sorry, Tommy.” 

“It’s fine,” said Tommy. He thought for a moment, “I also wanted to ask about the hotel?” 

“Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that. Me and Ranboo are making a hotel!” He leaned into Tommy and gave him a wink, “We’ll be competing in the future!” 

“Heh, looks like I was right,” said Puffy. 

Tommy shrugged. “Yeah, I guess.” Tommy pushed away from Tubbo, “Hey… Uhm… I heard you and Ranboo got married too.” He turned back to Tubbo, “Why didn’t you… visit me while I was in prison?” He finally asked. 

Tubbo went silent then looked down. “I… I really wanted to… I wanted to see what happened with you and why you had to stay in there… with Dream.” 

Tommy shuddered at the name. 

“I’m sorry. Sam wasn’t letting anyone inside, because he didn’t want to risk anyone letting… him out,” said Tubbo. 

“But he did,” said Tommy.

“Yeah, he did. Didn’t he. I’m sorry…” said Tubbo. Tommy stared and wanted to say something, but kept his mouth shut. The two sat in silence before Puffy spoke up. 

“Where’s Ranboo anyways?” 

“Oh, Ranboo. He’s gone to work on the hotel. Have you said hi to Ranboo yet?” Tubbo asked Tommy. 

Tommy shook his head, “No, must’ve missed him.” He thought back, “Have you seen Jack, Tubbo? I need to talk to him.” 

“Jack…? Why him…?” asked Tubbo. 

“He made a mess of the hotel and claimed it was his. He stole money from me too,” said Tommy. 

“We’ve been looking to confront him,” said Puffy. 

“Oh? No, I haven’t seen him sorry. I also need to speak to him. Can you tell me if you see him?” Tubbo changed the subject. “Do you guys want to stay for a bit before you leave?” 

Tommy took it into consideration but shook his head. “No, I just wanted to say hi. I’m going to go back home.” Tommy turned around, but he didn’t get to take another step. He was completely paralyzed. His feet sunk into the floor. His ears went numb. It was the same feeling as back then. Trapped inside. No escape. The walls coming down around him. With him. Him. Right there with him. Right here with him. 

That smiling man stood in front of him. His smiling, happy, grotesque face. Tommy's knees buckled and he felt like throwing up. 

“Why are you here?” He managed to spit out. The smiling man did not reply. He merely stared at him, tormenting him. Tommy got reminded of the week spent in the prison and the way he would pick at his brains. 

“Why are you here?” he asked again. Still no answer. Tommy was now reminded of the time spent in exile. No one visited him except the smiling man. The lies that he was fed while there. 

“Dream! Why are you here!” He shouted. He was finally reminded when he first met him. He wasn’t a friend back then, but he also wasn’t the biggest enemy on the server. What had changed? Why did Dream want to ruin the world? 

No, was he ever different? Tommy noticed the differences in Dream all the way back when Wilbur created L’Manburg. He was not the same person who welcomed him on the SMP. Back then, he didn’t get what Dream’s deal was, but now he had an idea. 

The smiling man still had not replied to Tommy. 

“How did you… escape?” Tommy’s questions just poured out of him, “Why did I spend… all that time… with you? Why…? That should’ve been the last time I saw you… Why? And why are you here now? To torture me even more…? Dream why can’t you just leave me… leave me alone?” 

The smiling man inched closer to Tommy. Tommy stepped back. He felt he was taking fewer quick breaths and his heart was pounding. His head hurt. He nearly fell backward as he stepped back. 

“Stay away from me!” he yelled. 

“To…”

“Don’t get any closer!” he yelled again. 

“Tom…” 

“I’ll stab you if you come any nearer!” Tommy pulled out his sword.

“Tommy!” Tubbo shouted. 

“W- what…?” Tommy looked behind him. He realized that he had bumped into Tubbo who held him gently. Puffy was staring at him with shocked but concerned eyes. 

“Tommy. Are you okay?” Tubbo asked. 

“I...” 

“Tommy, Dream isn’t here. You’re okay.” Puffy laid her hand on Tommy’s shoulder. 

“B-But…” He turned to the smiley face man who was in front of him, but he wasn’t there. 

It was Ranboo who was staring at him. 

“Tommy…. I- I’m sorry for scaring you,” said Ranboo. “Are you… okay?” he asked. 

Tommy stood for a second bewildered then realized that he was holding his sword in front of Ranboo’s face. He dropped it by his side. 

“Fuck… I’m so sorry Ranboo,” said Tommy. He pushed himself off of Tubbo. “I don’t know what the fuck just happened… I just thought. I thought Dream was right in front of me. I didn’t even see you standing there!” 

“Are you okay big man?” Tubbo asked. “Do you want to lie down?” 

“Fuck! Am I going crazy?” Tommy asked. 

“Tommy, you’re safe. Dream’s not anywhere near here. You’re not going crazy. I’m sure it's just… just some trauma.” said Puffy, “Look, Tubbo’s offering you a bed to sleep in.” she gestured inside the house. 

Tommy looked sick. “Yeah, I think I will. I don’t know what the fuck just happened.” he turned back towards Ranboo. “I’m really sorry.” he sighed. 

Ranboo didn’t say anything for a couple of minutes but smiled. “It’s okay Tommy. You should go ahead and rest.” 

Tommy nodded then went inside Tubbo’s house to rest on his bed. He saw Henry sitting on the floor, but didn’t say anything. Henry only stared at him. Tommy moved past Henry and laid on the bed. He heard Puffy follow after him. 

“Are you okay?” Puffy asked. 

“I’m fine.” Tommy laid himself down. “I just need some rest…” 

“Rest is a good idea. I’ll go fix some steak up. I’m feeling pretty hungry. You want some?” she asked. 

“Sure…” Tommy muttered. 

“Ok,” He heard her go outside, “Tubbo, is it okay if I bother your furnace?” she asked. 

“Yeah, sure!” Tubbo replied. 

Puffy walked back into the house and began to cook some steak, but Tommy wasn’t paying attention at this point. He really needed some rest. His body still felt cold even underneath the blankets. He hadn’t been able to rest in the prison, but he didn’t know he would be able to now. He needed to rest, however, so he closed his eyes to try and sleep.

* * *

Ranboo waited outside as Tommy went into the house to sleep in Tubbo’s room. He watched for a moment. 

“You okay?” Tubbo asked him. He looked down in surprise. “I’m worried about Tommy, but he did also threaten you with a sword.”

Ranboo looked around nervously but tried to hide it. “Yeah, I’m fine.” he gave a half-hearted smile. “I’m also a bit worried about him,” he said. 

“Yeah,” Tubbo looked back at the house, “Whatever happened in the prison wasn’t good. Dream must’ve done some things again. I might ask him when he wakes up.” 

Tubbo looked down with a sad expression. 

“What’s wrong?” Ranboo asked. 

“Oh, uh… I just wished I could’ve helped him sooner. I should’ve tried to make Sam let him go, but… it took Dream escaping for Tommy to be let out.” 

“Yeah…” Ranboo fidgeted nervously again. “Hey Tubbo?” he asked. 

“Hm?” Tubbo perked up. 

“I think I’m going back to my house,” he said. 

“Oh really? Why? Tommy didn’t… Uhm… scare you did he?” Tubbo asked. 

Ranboo waved his hands in front of him and shook his head profusely. “No! No! It’s not because of that. It’s just I was busy working on the hotel all day, and I’m feeling a bit tired that’s all. I think I’m going to head back and rest as well.” he exclaimed. 

“Oh… alright. I’ll see you then Ranboo,” said Tubbo. 

“See you!” Ranboo waved good-bye and left. He heard Tubbo talking to Puffy as he left, but he was too far to hear what they were saving. When he got far enough away he broke down. He clutched his face in his hands. 

_“Dream…”_ He thought. 

“Tommy… Does he know? No, no, he couldn’t. Could he? What happened in the prison? What… what did I do…?” Ranboo stopped talking. “No, I have to hurry back. I need to calm down. I didn’t do anything. I didn’t. I- I’m not Dream…” 

He looked over to his reflection in the waters. There it was, his dual-toned black and white face. He was Ranboo, not Dream. 

Yet, when Tommy started to panic in front of Ranboo he couldn’t really grab a hold of himself either. At one point he was wondering if he was Dream. 

“I’m not! I’m not Dream! Dream isn’t… I’m not!” Ranboo ran faster towards the nether portal. 

“I didn’t do anything… I’m not Dream… I didn’t do anything wrong… I’m not…” He stopped in front of the nether portal. 

A familiar green blob stood in front of the portal. Slowly, very slowly he turned around. Ranboo could do nothing for a moment but stare. The slow turn felt like an eternity. 

“Why hello,” said Dream. 

“I’m not-... No!-” All of a sudden, Ranboo’s vision went black.

**Author's Note:**

> Quick note for the hallucination. I want to clarify it's not meant to be an accurate portrayal of trauma induced hallucinations. It's supposed to be a similar situation to how Ranboo thought he visited Dream in the prison even though he didn't actually.  
> ~  
> Old: manifesting tommy stream soon  
> New: what the hell...


End file.
